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On July 17, 2008,
at 1526 eastern daylight time, a Beech A36, N36CL, registered to a
private owner, operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Part 91 personal flight, operating as an Angel Flight, collided with an
instrument landing system antenna during initial takeoff climb on runway
5 from Vandenberg Airport (VDF),
Visual
meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules
flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The
private pilot and the two passengers were killed. The flight was
originating at the time, and the intended destination was A witness stated he was driving southbound on I-75, adjacent to VDF. The accident airplane was observed taking off on the last one-third of the runway. The airplane landing gear was retracted, and the airplane drifted to the left off the side of the runway. The right wing tip of the airplane collided with a pole; and the airplane cart wheeled to the right, collided with the ground right side up, and immediately caught on fire. The witness reported a light rain and no noticeable wind.
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The pilot, age 81, held a Federal Aviation Regulations (FAA) private pilot certificate issued on July 12, 1996, with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot was issued a FAA third class-medical certificate on August 28, 2007, with no limitations. |
The pilot was diagnosed with prostrate cancer since his last medical certificate. He was receiving hormone injections every 3 months with his last injection occurring about 4 weeks before the accident. In addition, the pilot had completed 21 out of 25 external radiation treatments for the disease at the time of the accident. Common side effects from such treatment can include irritation, pain, and other symptoms. The FAA does not specifically note cancer of any sort or treatment as disqualifying. The FAA does not require that medical conditions that occur between required examinations be reported. Title 14 CFR Part 61.53 states that an individual, "shall not act as pilot in command.... while the person (1) Knows or has reason to know of any medical condition that would make the person unable to meet the requirement of the medical certificate necessary for the pilot operation; or (2) Is taking medication or receiving other treatment for a medical condition that results in the person being unable to meet the requirements for the medical certificate necessary for the pilot operation." The pilot indicated on the application for the medical certificate that he had 4,950 total flight hours. The pilot's current logbook was not recovered and was presumed destroyed by the postcrash fire. The pilot's son stated that his father kept his pilot logbook in a black bag in the airplane. The son also stated his father's last biennial flight review was in June 2007. On April 3, 2009, an attorney representing the wife of the pilot submitted a trip report book and four old pilot logbooks to NTSB, ranging in date from 1981 through 2001. The Beech A36 is a six place all metal low wing, single-engine airplane with retractable landing gear, serial number E-1980, manufactured in 1981. A Continental IO-550-B, 300-horsepower engine powered the airplane. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed the last annual inspection was conducted on February 1, 2008. The tachometer and total time on the airframe at the annual inspection was 6,225.9 hours. The tachometer at the crash site was destroyed and the total time since the last annual inspection could not be determined.
The total time on
the engine as of the last entry in the logbook on May 16, 2008, was
3,527.98 total hours. The total time since major engine overhaul was
186.43 hours as of an engine logbook entry dated April 8, 2008. Penn Yan
Aero, Penn Yan, Review of refueling records revealed Leading Edge Aviation Services Inc. refueled the airplane on July 12, 2008; with 32.16 gallons of 100 low lead fuel. The maximum gross weight of the airplane was 3,600 pounds. Review of weight and balance records for the airplane revealed the last empty weight was recorded as 2,491.93 pounds. The pilot weighed 204 pounds; the center seat passengers combined weight was 308 pounds. No baggage was visible at the accident site. The airplane fuel load was reported as being full which equated to 440 pounds of fuel. The ramp weight was calculated from a Beech A36 Pilot Operating Handbook Weight and Balance Loading Form, page 6-14, as 3,448 pounds. Hawker Beechcraft allowed 12 pounds of fuel burn for start, taxi, and takeoff. The airplane's weight at the time of the accident was calculated to be 3,436 pounds. All weights were determined to be with in the center of gravity limits. The ramp weight of the airplane was 3,448 pounds and center of gravity was 81-inches aft of the datum. The VDF 1522 surface weather observation was: wind 220 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, 2,800 scattered, 4,800 scattered, broken ceiling at 7,500 feet, temperature 25 degrees Celsius, dew point 24 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting 30.01 inches of mercury.
VDF is located at
an elevation of 12 feet, 6 miles east of
The airplane was located adjacent to runway 5 at VDF. Examination of the crash site revealed the propeller and nose gear door of the airplane collided with the top of a 49-foot tall instrument landing system (ILS) glide slope antenna. The antenna was located 212 feet left of the centerline for runway 5 and abeam the precision approach path indicator (PAPI), which was located on the right side of the runway. The antenna was laying flat on the ground in the direction of the flight path of the airplane. Nose landing hardware and the remains of propeller blade tips were located 61 feet 8 inches down the crash debris line (CDL). The airplane right wing contacted the ground 254 feet down the CDL. The airplane nose contacted the ground 265 feet down the CDL. The propeller assembly separated and was located 295 feet down the CDL. A separated outer right wing panel with a radar fairing was located 350 feet down the CDL. The airplane came to rest on a heading of 220 degrees, 377 feet down the CDL. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.
The State of
Florida District Thirteen Medical Examiner at
The State of
Florida District Thirteen Medical Examiner at
Mercy Flight
Southeast, Inc. (Mercy Flight) received a telephone call from the female
passenger in the accident on July 11, 2008, requesting a repeat mission
for cancer treatment in the The pilot had flown 36 missions since May 2004. He completed his annual Mercy Flight membership renewal on April 4, 2008. The pilot reported on his renewal that he was a private pilot with an instrument rating with 5,010 total flight hours. He further reported that he had no accident history or FAA enforcement within the last five years. In addition the pilot indicated on his renewal that he had a current medical certificate and that he met all currency flight requirements. Review of a Beech A36 Pilot Operating Handbook, Section 5, Performance, Take Off Distance Chart, at Page 5 to 18 revealed, an airplane weighing 3,450 pounds departing from a sea-level airport with an outside temperature of 25 degrees Celsius with no wind will break ground after a ground roll of 1,100 feet, and to clear a 50-foot obstacle, 2,100 feet is needed. With a 6-knot tailwind, the airplane will break ground after a ground roll of 1,450 feet, and to clear a 50-foot obstacle, 2,750 feet is needed. |
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